In Absentia
by TrustTheCloak
Summary: Will was gone. *Missing scene type to the Burning Bridge/Icebound Land.


Will was gone.

He had failed... and now, his apprentice was gone.

With great effort, Halt made himself exit the waves. His whole body felt numb, and not just from the fact that he had been thigh deep in cold water and getting sprayed with a fine ocean mist. His boots were sopping wet, with rings of salt beginning to form on the leather. They would be ruined; somehow, Halt really couldn't bring himself to care. Falling to his knees in the damp sand, the Ranger held his face for a moment in a rare moment of vulnerability.

Will was gone.

* * *

"Halt?" Gilan's tone was faltering and disjointed as he took a trembling step towards his mentor. "Halt, did you... did you find Will?"

His former apprentice's distress cracked Halt's heart even more, if that was possible. "Will... No. He's gone. The Skandians took him."

Gilan stilled, wordless for a moment. His eyes turned shiny and frantic, incoherent words spilling out at a desperate rate. "No. No, he can't be... we can find him, we just..." Slightly frenzied, Gilan began to move up in the direction Halt had come from.

The older Ranger grabbed his former apprentice's arm, stopping him. "Gilan, no! Stop!" he barked, grief making his voice rough. "He's gone; there's no point!"

The young man flinched, tears threatening to spill out of his eyes as the full weight of Halt's words hit him. "I did this," he muttered listlessly as he tiredly dropped to his knees. Gilan was exhausted, the small amount of sleep that he'd been running on not being nearly enough. The head wound he'd gotten in the battle against the Skandians wasn't helping matters. He felt tired... sick... and utterly devastated.

"It's not your fault," Halt answered dully as he turned away, unable to bear the sight of his broken former apprentice. "Don't... Don't do this to yourself."

Then David was there, the stoic Battlemaster exterior -that had been present for so long- seeming to fade as he dropped down next to his son and wrapped him tightly in his arms. The relief was evident in the the embrace, the way that David closed his eyes and simply held his boy for a moment. They were both alive, a fact that David would forever be grateful for. Losses had been suffered, David felt years older, Gilan was still staring listlessly ahead, but they were _alive_.

"We'll figure this out later," David said softly, giving Gilan a gentle little shake. "After you get some sleep."

Gilan gave a slow, weary nod and allowed his father to guide him up to his feet. He only made it a few steps before his knees buckled again, David catching him before he hit the ground. Without a word, David slipped his arm under his son's knees and carried him like he was a small child again. Gilan's head nestled against David's collarbone, they continued towards the tents.

Halt watched them go. He should move, do something... there was plenty to be done, the Ranger knew.

Except... Will was gone.

* * *

It several hours before a weary Halt arrived back at the command tents, having chosen to be useful in helping gather the wounded, bodies, and weapons. David was in an open tent, scrubbing at his face with one hand as he filled in a sheet of paper. Halt stopped in the doorway. "How's Gilan?"

The Battlemaster paused in his report and sighed. "In my tent and sleeping, finally. A physician gave him something to put him out. He's very upset, as you know. Though, right now, who isn't?" David didn't feel the need to mention how his son had sobbed inconsolably on the cot for over an hour before he had been drugged into some semblance of rest.

"It's not his fault." Halt said this wholeheartedly; he didn't have the slightest grudge against the younger Ranger at how events had turned out.

The Battlemaster gave a humorless chuckle. "If only he believed that." Rubbing his temples, the Battlemaster spoke again, wonder in his voice. "I can't believe it's over. Rodney's apprentice is something else, for sure."

"He's a good lad," Halt answered simply, feeling another stab of sorrow pierce him as he was again reminded of Will. Impatiently attempting to blink the pricks away from his eyes, Halt ducked out of the doorway, yanking up his cowl to hide the few tears that managed to slip loose.

Will... Will was gone.

* * *

 _Thwack. Thwack. Thwack._

One after another, Gilan sent arrows plunging into the wood with a vicious satisfaction. Reaching back for another, only to find an empty quiver, Gilan gave a huff of annoyance before stalking forward to retrieve the batch.

"This needs to stop."

Gilan paused and exhaled at the sound of Halt's voice. "Running out of arrows? I agree. We need bigger quivers."

Halt wasn't amused. "You. This whole not eating, barely sleeping, spending hour after hour sending things at trees. It doesn't suit you."

"I'm sure it doesn't suit Will to be stuck who knows where on a Skandian boat, either, but he's still there," Gilan muttered as he yanked another arrow out, still refusing to look at his mentor.

Halt grabbed his former apprentice's shoulder and turned him until he was facing him. Dark eyes met blue, reading them. The older Ranger didn't like what he saw. With a sigh, Halt finally released Gilan's shoulder. "You're off duty for two weeks."

Gilan's mouth dropped. "You can't do that. Rangers are especially needed right now. You _can't_ take me off duty."

"I can when you're being stupid and reckless. Reckless will get you killed!" Halt snarled. "I won't lose another apprentice, Gilan!"

The last part had slipped out, and for a moment, silence reigned as the words weighed heavy in the air. It was Gilan who broke it, in a quiet, wavering voice as he cast a desperate gaze at his mentor. "We have to get him back, Halt."

Pulling his former apprentice into a firm embrace, Halt nodded.

"I know."

Will was gone.

It was high time to find him.

* * *

 **I like filling missing scenes.**

 **Anyway. I like reviews if you have a mind to; if not, that's fine too. (:**

 **-TrustTheCloak**


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